Water heater fittings



F. A. MCFERRAN WATER HEATER FITTINGS Sept. 15, 1953 Filed June 13, 195oV l a m In ATTRNEYS.

Patented Sept. 15, 1953 UNITED` STATES PATENT OFFICE i p vvATEnHEA'rER FITTINGS I Frank A. McFerran, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application .:Iune 13, 1950, Serial No. 167,776

s claims. (ci. 204-197) 'Ihis invention relates to ttings for use in Water heaters of the tank type. Such water heaters are usually provided with a fitting through which a cold Water line enters the tank and to which there is generally secured a socalled infill pipe which extends substantially to the bottom of the Water heater tank. There is also usually provided a fitting to which the hot water line is connected.

Depending upon conditions as to the materials used in the construction of the water heater and the pipes and depending upon the conditions of the water being used, more or less electrolysis will take place within a water heater, as a result of which the walls of the tank or the material of the infill pipe is attacked. Electrolysis has presented a very severe problem in the water heater industry and has necessitated far too frequent replacement of parts and sometimes of entire heaters.

The problem of electrolysis has been attacked in the past by the provision of a rod of magnesium or similar metal which is inserted into the tank and subjected to the action of the electrolysis which takes place, and it has been found that magnesium acts preferentially in such a situation in that the magnesium is attacked and consumed rather than the material of the tank or the piping. The magnesium rod was generally inserted in the tank by means of a third fitting, and periodically the magnesium rod is replaced by a new rod.

It is an object of the present invention to combine the magnesium rod with at least the cold water ttings and, according to one embodiment, with both fittings wherein a single fitting takes care of the cold Water inlet,.the hot water outlet and the magnesium.

It is another object of my invention to provde a structure as outlined above which will be extremely simple both from the assembly standpoint and from the manufacturing standpoint. It is yet another object of the invention to provide such a structure wherein the magnesium can readily be replaced as it is consumed and whereby a greater volume of magnesium is presented to the interior of the water tank than has been possible in the past.

Yet another object of the invention involves the elimination of one or more tappings in the tank, whereby tank costs and the possibility of leakage at the tappings, are reduced.

These and other objects which I shall describe in more detail hereinafter or which will be ap` parent to one skilled in the artupon reading `tuting a shoulder. being in rod form is provided in tubular forni these specifications, I accomplish by that cer tain construction and arrangement of parts of which I shall now describe certain exemplary embodiments.

Reference is made to the drawings forming a part hereof and in which:`

Figure 1 is a fragmentary central vertical cross-sectional view through a water tank of a hot water heater showing one embodiment of the invention. i i

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged cross sectional view of the fitting of Figure 1 which constitutes a part of the invention.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a modification.

Briefiy, in the practice of my inventionI provide a fitting in the nature of a bushing having threaded engagement in the top wall of the Water heater tank. Means are provided for at taching to the outer end of the bushing at least the cold water line. `An infill pipe is removably attached t the inner end of the bushing and the infill pipe extends nearly to the bottom of the tank and terminates in an element consti- The magnesium instead of having an internal diameter such that it will fit over the infill pipeand having an external diameter such that it will pass through the threaded opening in the top of the water heater tank. i

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, I have shown a water heater tank generally at I0. The tank has atop wall II, and in the example of Figure 1 a hot water outlet pipe is indicated at I2, having threaded engagement with the top wall II of the tank, as indicated at I 3. At I4 I provide a. bushing which has threaded engagement in the top wall I I of the tank as indicated at I5. The cold water line I6 is threaded into the outer end of the bushing as at I'.' and an infill pipe I8 is threaded into the lower or inner end of the bushing as indicated at I9. The infill pipe I8 in the particular embodiment shown terminates at its lower end in a T 2i), but it will be understood that any terminus providing a shoulder for the support of the magnesium tube will be satisfactory. I prefer `the use of a T fitting because it gives a better distribution of cold water at the bottom of the tank.

The magnesium, instead of being in rod form,` is provided in the form of a tube 2 I. The tube is of such internal diameter that it fits .snugly over the infill pipe I8 and is supported by the .shoulder or T 20. i The `outside diameter of the 3 magnesium tube 2I is of such size that it will pass through the threaded hole in the top Wall II of the tank.

From what has been said above it will be clear that if it has been determined that the magnesium tubing has been consumed or if it is desired to determine the status of the magnesium tubing, the water line I6 may be disconnected from the bushing I4 a nd the bushing I4 may be unscrewed from theswater tank whereupon the entire unit including the bushing, the iniill tube and the magnesium tube may be Withdrawn through the hole in the top `wall I I of the water heater tank.

If it is found that the magnesium tubingis. substantially consumed, the infill tube IBMmay be unscrewed from the bushing I4 and a new-magne sium tube may be `slipped over-.the infill ,tube which may then again be secured to the bushing I4. The entire unit can then be inserted-,inthe water tank and the bushing I4 rmly screwed in'place. It willl ofgcpurse-.be understood that the infill,` tubemay be separable whereby it Awould beunnecessary vto unscrew it fromgthe bushing I4, and that the structure described is exem- Diary Only- By the use of magnesium tubes a much greater volume, of ,magnesium isprovided than with the conventional rod. It will also' be noted that manufacturingexpense will be reduced because it will be unnecessary to provide a fitting for the magnesium rod. Becausecf the greater volume of Vmagnesium provided maintenance costs will be lowered because it will take much longer to consume theflarger volume of magnesium.

In Figure 3 I have shown a modification Wherein the hotwater o-utlet is also combined into the same 'iltting .Fundamentally thefdevice of Figure Y3 is based upon thesamerprinciples as that of Figures l and 2. The infill tube and the magnesium tube` andY T fitting` are identical to those described in connection .with Figures l and 2 and. have been `given the same reference numerals. The bushingy hashere beenindioated at I4lr and itis..threaded-.into a hole in the top wall II .of the .water heater tank' as at 15a. In this particular.. case however the bushing l4a provides two. independent .passageways and therefrehas a partition element 22. 'The upper end of thebushing I4a,may be conveniently formed as I8 having-.the orifices 23 and 24, one communicating with each of the passageways through the bushing. .'I'helpassageways are indicated at 25,.and-26.

'I-hat passageway which is to be cold waterinlet passageway (.inFig'ure 3 indicated at 25) is extendedsomewhat beyondl the terminus of the passageway. and is diverted laterally toward thepassageway v2li so asto .bring the lower orifice of thepa'ssageway 25 substantially on the axis of the fitting Illa asindicated at I9c`t. By virtue of the extension of theoriiice4 I9a vbelow the terminusof .thepassageway 2B, the orice 21 of the passageway 26` is 'in..no'way restricted. Thus in the 'exampleV A.of 4Figure ,3 cold water enters through the orice 23 zandpasses through the passageway l25; to the'l inlltube I8. The hot water yexits through the orice 21, the passageway Zito the hotwater linewhich is ,connected tothe oriiice24. .Sincelthey terminus of the cold water passageway to whichthe. infill tubeis connected. is substantlallyco-axial with the bushing I4a,'. theideviceloperatesinthe same way as described.aboveinconnection with Figures l and 2, iLe. .if..thehot.and.cold.waterlines are disconnectedefromthe.oricesl23 and 24 theentire `therefore do not intend to limit myself in any manner other than as set forth in the claims yl-laving now fully described my invention, what Ifclaim fas-new" and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

'x 1."A `Water heater tting comprising a tubu- Alar.ibushin"g externally threaded for engagement in a threaded hole in afwall of a water heater, s aidgbushingghaving means. at its outer end for the attachmentcfawater-line, andhaving removably ...attachedy at .its :inner end, a Vpipe for passage of water to.said.tting, said pipeadapted toextendvto nearthebottom of a water heater to.whichfsaidfttingmayibe secured, said pipe terminatingat its-lowertendfin a portion Yconstituting a shoulder, and a tube of sacrificial metal surrounding said pipe and, extending substantially the `entirelengtlflthereof, supported on said shoulder, and' having an outside diameter less than the inside-diameter of thethreaded hole in thewallof saidwater heater.

2. Incombinationdn a Water heater, a tank, a threaded sholelin. a wallof said tank, a tubular bushing threadedly vengaged in said hole, means attheouterend of Vsaid bushing `for the attachment of. a Water line, .a pipe for the passage of water .tosaid-bushing .removably attached to the inner end of said bushing, said pipe terminating at itsilowerlend ina portion constituting a shoulder, and a tube ofsacrincial metalsurrounding said pipe and .extending substantially the entire-length thereof, Ysupported on said shoulder, yand having ,an outside diameter of suchsize thatitcanpass. through said threaded hole.

3. A-Waterheatertting comprising an externallythreaded tubularbushing having internally a longitudinal impe-rforate partition and having at'eachend two orices communicating respectively with the interior of' said bushing ono'pposite sides'of'isaidpartition to provide two l separate passageways therethrough, means at one end ofnsaid `bushing for the attachment of a water linetoE each of Isaid orieespan inill pipe removablysecured to one of the ori'cesfat the other endof saidl bushing, said pipe terminating at its other end in'fa "portionl constitutingA a shoulder, anda tubel ofacriiicial metal surrounding saidA pipe VVand extending substantially the ventire v length thereof, `suppprted on said shoulder, Aandhavingan 'outside diameter less 4than the rqcngdiametergof the threaded portion of saidv bushing.

4. Thestructure of; claim 3, whereinthat passageway terminating in theforiilce `to which said infill pipe issecured is extended beyond the orice ofthepther ofsaidlpassageways and is diverted laterally .toward saidr other passageway, said orifice to` zwhich,said infill pipe is secured thus y being-disposed: substantially `axially off-.said bushing.

159.;Aiitinggeeerdieg i0: Gleim; Whereinsaid portion constituting a. shoulder comprises a. Number T-tting secured to the end of said inll pipe. 1,321,235 6'. A tting according to claim 3, wherein said 1,471,784 portion constituting a shoulder comprises a T- 1,608,709 tting secured to the end of said inll pipe. 5 2,401,546 FRANK A. MCFERRAN. 2,459,123

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Numee Number Name Date lo 759,380 Kane May 10, 1904 Name Date McCann Nov. 11, 1919 Engelhard et al. Oct. 23, 1923 Mills Nov. 30, 1926 Brown June 4, 1946 Bates et a1 Jan. 11, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain of 1877 

1. A WATER HEATER FITTING COMPRISING A TUBULAR BUSHING EXTERNALLY THREADED FOR ENGAGEMENT IN A THREADED HOLE IN A WALL OF A WATER HEATER, SAID BUSING HAVING MEANS AT ITS OUTER END FOR THE ATTACHMENT OF A WATER LINE, AND HAVING REMOVABLY ATTACHED, AT ITS INNER END, A PIPE FOR PASSAGE OF WATER TO SAID FITTINGS, SAID PIPE ADAPTED TO EXTEND TO NEAR THE BOTTOM OF A WATER HEATER TO WHICH SAID FITTING MAY BE SECURED, SAID PIPE TERMINATING AT ITS LOWER END IN A PORTION CONSTITUTING A SHOULDER, AND A TUBE OF SACRIFICIAL METAL SURROUNDING SAID PIPE AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH THEREOF, SUPPORTED ON SAID SHOULDER, AND HAVING AN OUTSIDE DIAMETER LESS THAN THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF THE THREADED HOLE IN THE WALL OF SAID WATER HEATER. 